PlayStation 5's (PS5) release date might be closer than initially thought as experts believe that the new console will arrive this year.

Previous reports mentioned that Sony's next console won't be released until 2019 or 2020, when virtual reality (VR) technology becomes mainstream. However, according to a report from the Daily Star, experts think that PlayStation 5 will come out this year and the PlayStation VR headset has something to do about it.

PlayStation VR is set to be released in summer this year and industry bosses believe that the device is not just some add-on that can provide a unique gaming experience. The report mentioned that these experts believe that PS VR's release serves as a "soft-launch" for PlayStation 4's successor.

This theory started when a patent of a glove-based controller is believed to be part of the future gaming systems. Sony recently filed a patent for the device that tracks movements of the hands and fingers. With this controller, there may be no need for external controllers for video games.

Sony reportedly has this technology for quite some time since the patent was originally filed in 2014, but according to ValueWalk, a delay in publishing the submission is the reason why the patent came to light only recently.

Now, experts think that this glove-based controller and the PS VR are actually part of a new gaming system that is PS 5, which won't need bulky machines to run but only cloud access. The first of the multi-piece to be launched is believed to be the VR headset; later on, the glove controller will come into the picture, followed by the cloud gaming technology to complete the puzzle.

There are a lot of versions when it comes to rumors about PS 5. There are reports stating that the new gaming device will not be a full-fledged console, but a streaming device. Others report that the PS 5 is the last of all consoles.

All the rumors about the PS 5 are interesting, but until Sony makes an official announcement, they remain as they are — just unconfirmed reports.